Hi everyone,
As the title suggest, I am entirely new to Windsurfing and looking for some advise. With a background in sailing, I was intrigued by this sport after watching some other locals do it. I live in Florida near the gulf coast, so the winds vary quite a bit. I've done a "little" research on the subject and acquired a setup for rather cheap, but I'm afraid it may be to advance for myself. My first day attempting it, I had a lot of trouble raising the sail and balancing (never got going). I'm considering downsizing to a significantly smaller sail to get the feel of things.
Any suggestions or advise?

Setup:
BIC Saxo 265
265cm length
55cm width
8.2kg weight
80L volume

5.1m2 sail
SDM 490cm 29IMCS

I weigh about 67kg soaking wet.

Board is way too narrow! Mast might be too long.

Find a board as wide as possible, 75cm to 80cm. Volume over 120litres. This will give you heaps more stability. Ask a local for pointers.

Lots of youtube how to videos

I appreciate the response. I'll definitely keep my eye out for a larger board.

I fought this setup (board, rig, and 2 sails) for $75, and was hoping to find a way to make it work until I can acquire a more accommodating setup.

If you want to push on with inappropriate equipment- already lost a day trying then a few ideas. You are trying to learn to ride a bicycle using a unicycle

find somewhere to have a lesson on beginner gear or modify your board

Duct tape pool noodles either side of board may give it some width and stability - what is your age and athleticism?

you may get some initial success to realise a wider board is needed

cheers Jeff
google is your friend .... find some lessons

Mast should be 400 or 430, definitely not 490. 490 is too stiff as well as too long.

I wouldn't necessarily say Google is a friend. Even though it's a method of research, I am more interested in having a 2-sided discussion with you folks whom have experience and better insight than any article.

I'm 23 years old, 5' 5", currently 142lbs. Personally I would say I am not the most athletic individual out there but I am athletically inclined. My friends and I play paintball (speedball to be exact) on a regular basis and I also partake in several activities like kayaking, sailing, bike riding, etc.
My first and only attempt at windsurfing was yesterday and I intend on getting back out soon. The fin is rather long, so I didn't try a beach launch.I suppose my curiosity is if a smaller sail would be easier to manage on this size of board, at least until I can afford to find a more adequate setup.

As for the mast yeah I agree, the other sail I have requires a 430 cm 26 IMCS.

Your board is too small and unstable. You need a bigger board. A short lesson from a qualified instructor. Would save you hours of frustration and anger and gain you hours of fun and pleasure. Your choice.

There is another possibility, you could bypass uphauling and go straight to water starting.
At 80l and 55cm wide that board will be very hard to uphaul. I've been windsurfing since 1985, and I'm struggling to up haul my 90l 53cm board, unless the water is very calm, and I'm the same weight as you.
But water starting it is a doddle.

Start of on the beach with the board across the wind. Try and put your weight on the sail, by hanging onto the boom.
First thing to learn here, is that hands and feet are back and front NOT left and right!
So the front hand holds the rig, the back hand controls the power, if there's too much power let go with the back hand.

So this is a delicate balancing operation, adjusting the power in the sail to counterbalance your weight.
With your weight and a 5m2 sail you could start this in about 10knots, but you won't be able to put a lot of your weight on the rig. If you have the sail rigged correctly, you should be able to work up to around 20knots, then you'll be able to put virtually all your weight on the sail.
But as with learning anything in windsurfing, all ways do this in both directions!! Just because you've taught your body something in one direction doesn't mean you can do it in the other direction.

Once you think you can do this, the next thing to try, is lay down alongside the board, and try using the sail power to pull you to your feet.

Feel OK with that? OK, now you can put the board in the water, align it across the wind and try a beach or water start, use the power in the sail to pull you onto the board.

The main thing here is not to push against the board as you do so. That will turn the board downwind and give you too much power in the sail.
Water starting is counter intuitive, in that you've got to push up on the sail and pull in with the foot.
Unlike a lot of people I start with my back foot in the rear strap, that way I have good control of the board and can keep it across the wind without it wanting to roll over. If the wind is light then I have to quickly take my foot out of the strap and move it forward.

So here's a possibility of using the board you've got, it's not the preferred method of learning for most people, because there's no instant reward, it's hard work, and you could look like a fool as you crash and burn. But for somebody young and fit and keen, with reasonable winds it should be possible. And in some cases will get you windsurfing properly, faster than the uphaul method.

But as others have said, a much wider board will be easier, and you can start sailing almost immediately, in light winds with a small sail.
But you have to watch out here, you don't learn bad habits!
The art of good windsurfing is to let the sail do the work, learning to waterstart first teaches you that.
With small gear in light winds, you can overpower the sail, as you progress to bigger sails and stronger winds, you have to unlearn your bad habits.

A smaller sail may help with managing to uphaul, but a much wider board will be of much greater benefit, as others have said.

I know people who have learned on gear like what you have, it is possible to learn on it. But a wider board will greatly accelerate your learning and be far less frustrating.

joewindsurfer.blogspot.com/p/how-you-can-start-windsurfing.html

Why does somebody in Florida ask for advice in an Australian forum? Doesn't Google serve up something more local?

Your gear is way too small for a beginner, and the mast is a mismatch.
One tip nobody seems to have mentioned is to find a well sheltered bay to learn the basics. Uphauling is much easier if the board isn't bouncing about in chop or waves. Ditto for gybing and tacking. What you want is a spot with moderate wind, not gusty, so coming off the water is best, and with a low breakwater or groyne to stop the chop.
Have you considered Kyeemagh (in a NE) or Kurnell (in a westerly) as learning spots?

Not sure if "Gulf Coast" means Florida panhandle, but these guys down near Orlando have a great setup, and Tinho is an excellent teacher:
calema.com/

Even if you dont live near there, it might be worth a phone call and Tinho can probably connect you to someone closer to you who can help. The windsurfing industry is pretty small/tight-knit.

After a lesson or two on some larger beginner gear you *might* be able to move back to your Saxo.

Having a background in sailing and being under 25 is a great advantage.

Firstly, get some lessons on modern learning gear. There has to be someone in Florida who gives lessons.

When buying your own gear, look for:
- minimum volume: 120 litre (free ride board)
- minimum width: 75cm
- sail size: 5.0 to 6.0 to start with - boom and mast to suit

Maybe post in your local forum - somebody may be able to help out

www.iwindsurf.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=1

Select to expand quote

decrepit said..
>>>> The main thing here is not to push against the board as you do so. That will turn the board downwind and give you too much power in the sail.>>>>

Woops, can't believe nobody picked this up, or perhaps nobody's read it?
Pushing against the board sends it upwind!!!
Silly old fart.
Then you loose power and fall back in the water.

Hey, thank you everyone for the help. I spoke to one guy who windsurfs near me and he gave me some helpful advice in regards to proper stance and up hauling the sail, which I notice an instant improvement. He told me, just as most of you did, to seek a few beginners lessons to get the techniques down before applying it to my setup, and it will be a lot easier. So lessons are not entirely out of the question.

As for the individuals questioning why I'm asking this on an Australian forum, I don't see how that's relevant for multiple reasons. If you're knowledgeable about the topic it shouldn't matter.

But again thank you to everyone else.

Select to expand quote

NoviceSurfing7 said..
Hey, thank you everyone for the snip......

As for the individuals questioning why I'm asking this on an Australian forum, I don't see how that's relevant for multiple reasons. If you're knowledgeable about the topic it shouldn't matter.

But again thank you to everyone else.

Reason for enquiring locally is local help local knowledge.


Whats not not to loose???


Im sure if you posted on iwindsurf somebody close to you will be able to help and may even have suitable gear to get you started.


This is us giving good advice - local knowledge and help is invaluable